Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional support device 1 for a solar power system, as disclosed in Taiwanese Utility Model Patent No. M408023, includes a base unit 11 floatable on a water surface, and a plurality of spaced-apart support units 12 mounted on the base unit 11. Each support unit 12 includes a connection base 121 detachably mounted on the base unit 11, and a plurality of spaced-apart support members 122 extending upwardly from the connection base 121. Two adjacent ones of the support members 122 cooperate with each other to position a solar panel 100.
Although the aforesaid conventional support device 1 can support a plurality of the solar panels 100 above the water surface, such as a sea water surface, a lake water surface or a water surface of fish farm, a single conventional support device 1 may have a limited photoelectrical conversion effect. Therefore, in actual practical use, a plurality of the conventional support devices 1 are simultaneously employed for enhancing the photoelectrical conversion efficiency.
When a plurality of the conventional support devices 1 are disposed on the water surface, because the conventional support device 1 does not include a connecting structure for connection with the other conventional support device 1, each time a conventional support device 1 is disposed on the water surface, a positioning operation has to be conducted. Hence, the arrangement of the conventional support devices 1 on the water surface is inconvenient.
Although a plurality of the conventional support devices 1 may first be connected to each other on a ground surface, it is difficult to pull the connected conventional support devices 1 to the water surface because the connected conventional support devices 1 is huge in size and weight.
A support assembly for mounting a solar panel unit, as disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2015/0214883A1, includes a base unit and a supporting unit. The base unit includes a plurality of base tubes that are spaced apart from each other and two connecting tubes that are respectively and detachably connected to the opposite end portions of each base tube. The supporting unit includes a plurality of limiting components and a plurality of supporting rods. Each limiting component permits at least two of the base tubes to extend therethrough so as to position the at least two of the base tubes relative to each other. Each supporting rod is detachably connected to and extends upwardly from a corresponding one of the limiting components and is adapted for supporting the solar panel unit thereon. However, the aforesaid support assembly may not be modularized because it does not include a connecting structure for connection of two adjacent ones of the base units.